Can I buy them from the Factory ?
No, we are sorry we just concentrate on production and we feel that your retailer is the best person to discuss your particular requirements and ensure you get the correct products.

The AP series uses traditional technology found in most speakers and is therefore a little less expensive. The ATS series utilizes two innovative technologies as demonstrated in the TV program “Beyond 2000” and also featured in the “Australian Technology Showcase” at the year 2000 Olympics.

Our “Low Q Ratio” and “Tear Drop Tweeter” technologies allow this range to be more dynamic with a huge sound stage. As for the Hyperboloid Speakers, this is our latest technology using special speaker drivers using no dust caps and low noise surrounds making them the cleanest most smooth sound around.

Differences between ATS series and AP series:

ATS series uses ‘Low Q Ratio’ technology which is a bass alignment system offering lower distortion, faster response and greater system efficiency. The system makes it possible to use light weight cones to produce deep bass. Very live and dynamic sound.

AP series does not use ‘Low Q Ratio’ technology. It uses close to traditional technology. The AP series produces decent bass, but not as much as the ATS series. They have a more subdued type of sound, not as dynamic as the ATS series. - The type of sound that the AP series produces can help to improve the overall sound when using cheaper electronics.

The AP series is our budget range but provides extremely good value for money.

ATS series is available in black and beech. Black has a black grill. Beech has a silver/grey grill.

AP series is available in black only with a black grill.

All models in the ATS series (except ATS-1) are bi-wireable and have gold terminals.

AP series uses banana terminals in AP-4 but nickel spring clip terminals are used in the AP-1. The AP series is not bi-wireable.

AP series speakers do not come with spikes.

What type of timber are the cabinets made of ?
All of our cabinets use variable density fiberboard.
This material is similar to MDF but varies more in density from the outside to the middle, this eliminates more sound transference than standard MDF. This type of board also has the same advantages as standard MDF such as stability, water resistance and strength.

In general the amplifier power should not be greater than the power range we recommend in our specifications.

Please note though, our specifications are ratings based on the amplifier specifications being honest, this means that the amplifier manufacturer should be quoting the power as continuous RMS power 20Hz – 20KHz.

Manufacturers often try to make their amplifiers appear more powerful, so if the amplifier is rated differently to above then the chances are you can expect our speakers to handle more amplifier power in that other rating method. However we highly recommend you read the instruction sheet.

How do I avoid blowing up my speakers ?
The single biggest bone of contention that customers have with speaker manufacturers is caused when a speaker is damaged by too much power input or by amplifier distortion. This is not covered by warranty as it is deemed to be customer abuse, often the customer feels this problem should not arise. So in an effort to further improve our relationship with you, (our valued customer), there is something we will try to help you understand in an effort to circumvent this potential problem.

As a manufacturer it is impossible to protect or prevent you the consumer from damaging the speaker when one of the two following things happen:

1. Using an amplifier that has too much output for the speakers capacity.

2. Causing the amplifier to distort by turning up the volume too high.

The first problem is easy to avoid. When you purchase an amplifier you must take note of its' power output. This will tell you the minimum size speaker to purchase. For instance if you purchase a 100W speaker, then the amplifier must be rated at 100W or less. By the way, it is perfectly alright to use a 400W speaker with a 10W amplifier there is no limit in that direction but as a general rule an amplifier closer to the rating of the speaker will sound a little better. If the speaker is very efficient the improvement will be less obvious.

The second problem is far harder to understand and avoid. You see, even if the amplifier power is smaller than the speaker it is still possible to damage the speaker. This is caused by what is known as distortion. An amplifier distorts when the volume control is turned up too high forcing the amplifier past its rated power output. So an amplifier rated at 100W can be forced to put out 120W. But 20W of that power is distortion and this is what damages your speaker. The hard part is to know when your amplifier has passed its limit and is distorting. The position of your volume control will not tell you, if the source output, (the source is a DVD player, CD player or Tape deck etc.) is high then the amplifier may distort with the volume control at 12 o'clock but on the other hand if the source has a low output the amplifier may not distort until 3 o'clock. The only way to tell is by listening carefully to the music quality. Don't turn the volume control any more if the sound becomes harsher, less tight and a bit blaring. That holds even if the volume control is less than half way.

Times when your speakers are most at risk from you.

1. Parties are the most common cause of speakers being damaged by too much power or by distortion, it often happens because of a desire to have the music loud. Distortion is harder to
detect because it is masked by lots of other noise.

2. After you have been listening to the music for a while there is a natural temptation to turn up the volume. This is because your ears lose their sensitivity.

3. Turning up the volume so you can hear the music in another part of the house or outside. Instead either install extension speakers or have long speaker leads.

4. Your children, (if you have them), when you are not present often have the stereo distorting. Either fix it so they can't turn the stereo on or educate them about the expensive damage caused by having the volume too high.

5. After you have been to a loud concert or live gig. Once again your ears have become less sensitive.

6. When you are in a state of intoxication is another time when there is a temptation to turn the volume up without care.

The best way to avoid the above potential problems is at a time when you are fresh, turn the volume control up until the quality of the sound changes as described previously. Take note of that position and make sure, no matter what the circumstances, the volume control is not turned above that point. If at that point the volume is not loud enough there is only one solution, it means you have to purchase a larger amplifier and, if required, larger speakers.

How can I maximise the sound ?
Speaker placement can completely alter the sound of your speakers. At Aaron we spend a lot of time and effort to design speakers that are not so position critical, but there will still be some variation form one position to another. Due to many different listening environments it is impossible to make cut and dry rules for the best position for your speakers. Put them where they sound best to your ears, by using trial and error.

We can however list some very helpful hints to speed up your speaker positioning. Placing near corners will increase the bass, whereas if you mount them on a wall or put them on a stand they will have less bass. If you have shaggy carpet you should attach spikes to the speakers. A bare timber floor may often require you to put the speaker on a small stand or on some bricks. A double brick home will tend to increase the bass output whereas a timber house causes much less bass. A brick veneer home will be somewhere in between. Also the amount of soft furnishings (carpet, curtains, lounge etc.) in your room changes the sound – the use of more soft furnishings will deaden the sound.

If you have a large area to fill with sound or wish simply wish to have a loud stereo system you have to look for a speaker with both a high efficiency and high power handling.

For example:

Our SS-15 has an efficiency of 88 db and maximum power capacity of 60 watts so the max sound level output is 108 db.

But the ATS-5 efficiency is 93 db and the maximum power capacity is 200 watts so the max output is 120 db.

Speaker efficiency is the output volume your speaker produces compared to the amount of power put in. The rating is measured in Decibels which is a measuring unit to best describe how the human ear responds to different loudness levels. To get an increase of 3 db (decibels) the amplifier power has to be doubled. For example if the amplifier can produce 128 watts of power and the speakers efficiency is rated at 90 db then the maximum sound output from this system will be 114 db. If the amplifier power is doubled to 256 watts the output will the system will increase 3 db to 117 db.

The other important factor to take into account is the size of your room.

Sound pressure level drops 3 db every time the distance is doubled so if your sitting position is 4 meters from the speakers then the speaker output pressure level will have dropped by 6 db. This means a larger room requires higher powered and greater efficiency speakers.

As a guide to various sound levels related to dbs here are a few examples:

Normal speach at one metre = 65 dbs

Vacuum cleaner at 3 metres = 70 dbs

Loud speech at one metres = 90 dbs

Heavy truck at 6 metres = 100 dbs

Night club music at 6 metres = 120 dbs

Live rock concert at 15 metres = 120 dbs

PLEASE NOTE: In an average living room of 25 sq meters with typical acoustics the minimum rating for the speaker should be a speaker with a maximum output of at least 108 db in order to have the home theatre effect work at all.

You must realize that many small satellite subwoofer systems available on the market are incapable of doing the job. (Email us if you would like to find out if a system you are considering can do the job)

Please note in the case of Aaron Loudspeakers speakers you will not have to worry about impedance compatibility with any reputable amplifier manufacturer.

According to IEC standards a speaker manufacturer should quote Nominal Impedance as no higher than 20% below the minimum measurement obtained when testing the speaker system. The problem is the speakers impedance is not the same at different frequencies so a manufacturer should quote the Nominal Impedance as being the lowest value measured. If this is done the customer can make sure that the amplifier is compatible with the speaker. The speaker impedance value should not be lower that the amplifiers minimum allowed impedance rating.

Very important please note: What we state in this section relates only to the AARON LOUDSPEAKER product, we are not responsible for any nominal specifications quoted by any other manufacturers that may be inaccurate.

It is important that you understand a little about your speakers impedance for two main reasons. One is to calculate how much undistorted power your amplifer will deliver. Secondly to check that the speaker's impedance is suitable of your amplifier or if it's safe to have two speakers on the output of each channel. The speaker input resistance is quoted as the "nominal impedance" this is what you base all your calculations on.

1. If you wish to calculate the output power from the amplifier than you must first look at the amplifier specifications. It will usually give you an output rating for 4 ohms and 8 ohms. If the nominal speaker value is 8 ohmsis the one you have to allow for. Note: if the speakers nominal impedance is 6 ohms (which is the case with some models on the Aaron range) then the maximum undistorted power form the amplifier will be half way between the 4 ohm and 8 ohm rating.

2. It is safe to have a speaker with a nominal impedance greater than the amplifiers minimum output rating. But care must be taken not to use a speaker or speaker combination that is below the amplifiers minimum impedance capability.

Having said that, most reputable amplifier manufacturers allow for a small safety margin, for instance it is not likely to cause any problem if you connect an "AARON" 6 ohm speaker to an 8 ohm rated amplifier output.

Should you wish to put two speakers on each amplifier output a litter more care is required. Below is a list of safe combinations that can be used with most high quality, modern amplifiers.

Main Speaker (ohms)

16

16

8

16

6

8

8

6

&

&

&

&

&

&

&

&

Second Speaker

16

8

16

6

16

8

6

8

If your combination does not fit any of the above seek advice from the amplifier manufacturer before turning the system on. Note: a 6 plus 6 ohm connection may be possible but check first as the amplifier will need to be rated into 2 ohms to make this combination safe.

What is Bi Wiring can it help the sound?
With our speakers because of the way we design them it should be enough for you to simply connect one good quality twin wire cable to your amplifier.
However if your speakers are a long way from your amplifier of you are a perfectionist then you may consider using two twin wire cables and in extreme cases where you wish to make the sound as perfect as possible you would use two power amplifiers as well. The concept behind using two cables and two amplifiers is so the back EMF from the low or high frequency speakers on each side of the crossover can’t interfere with the sound on the other. Instead if the amplifier has high quality output devices the back EMF (sound reflected back from the speaker) is shorted to ground.

What is the best speaker placement ?
Centre Channel and Surround Sound Speakers
In order to best appreciate the wonderful spatial image our centre channel and surround sound speakers can create in your room, it is important that you take note of what we call best positioning practice. We understand you may not be able to adhere, to the letter, all of our recommendations. That's why we designed our speakers not to be too position critical. Following are the ideal placement positions.

In the case of the centre channel, it should be either placed directly under or above the TV. The optimum position is at, or slightly above, ear height when you are sitting down. Note; if this is not possible don't worry, as the sound image quality will not deteriorate a great deal if you place them outside this area. Also note it is possible to use two centre channels each side of the TV placed in the tower orientation.

The surround sound is a little more complex but the general principal is to place them directly each side of your sitting position slightly above ear level. Due to the many variations of room shape, size and absorption characteristics the following points should be noted:

1. If your sitting position is against the rear wall then the surround sound should be mounted on the rear wall or in each rear corner.
2. If the surround sound image is not giving you enough sound coming from behind you, move the surround sound speaker closer to the rear wall, vice verse if the image is too much at the rear.
3. Moving the surround sound image back or forward from level to your listening position will have two other effects. The first is to slightly increase the brightness of the rear speakers sound and the second will be to make the speaker appear to spread the sound around a little less.
4. Installing the surround sound speaker higher will raise the perceived image but as the speaker is raised the sound will become very marginally less bright.
5. If you have two rear speakers at different distances from your listening position, just adjust the left and right rear channel volumes on the amplifier so both rear speakers are as loud as each other.

Improving acoustics?
The subject of room acoustics is very complex and in most cases our speakers will suit your home environment.
In unusual circumstances you my need to make some changes to your room should you wish to improve the sound. If the room is too bright or there is too much echo then you should increase the amount of absorbent material to reduce the brightness and add soft furnishings to reduce echo’s. Such things as carpet, curtains and special absorbent panels can help with brightness. Note; the reverse can be done if the room sounds too dead. If the room has too much echo furnishings as sofas and tables will help as will curtains with deep folds. Soft furnishings such as sofas can also help to reduce bass output. To further reduce bass, special bass traps can be purchased or the adding of a frame with gyprock cladding to the wall will help. Usually too much bass only occurs in small rooms and houses or apartments with double brick or concrete construction.

Where everything is made and why?
As with all large scale speaker manufacturers in the world speaker parts are sourced from all around the world and parts assembly also occurs in many different places.
Different areas, countries and companies have different specialties. Certain areas may have specialist companies who can work together to produce a particular type of product. Due to the environmental conditions, a particular area may be able to produce a raw material that best suits our purpose. Only one company may have the manufacturing technology required to produce a part required. Or a low labor cost country is needed for assembly of parts in order to keep the finished product competitive in the market. In all this we are the same so it can be said that countries such as Scandinavia, Germany, Japan, China, Taiwan and America along with Australia are involved in the production of our products.